Kimi ni Todoke (officially translated as From Me to You, more literally as Reaching You) is the story of Sawako, whose resemblance to the horror movie character Sadako has made her a social outcast. Being outcast from a young age has made her socially awkward, which only makes her more of an outcast, so it's all really a vicious cycle.

The actual inciting event of the story proper is the beginning of Sawako's friendship with Shota Kazehaya, the most popular guy in school. Unlike 99% of other "most popular guy" characters, Kazehaya is genuinely nice, and has feelings for Sawako, despite her loner nature. As they get to know each other better, Sawako forms an ever-expanding network of friends, yet she and Kazehaya never seem to realize they like each other in the same way.

Ultimately, a very touching story about liking people for who they are without trying to change them.

The ongoing manga has been adapted as a 25-episode anime series produced by Production I.G that started airing October 6th 2009, and the notable voice actors are listed under their characters in the character page. The second 12-episode season continues the story. There's also a light novel adaption and a live-action movie adaptation that was released on September 25, 2010. Both seasons are licensed in North America by NIS America.

This series provides examples of:

Alertness Blink: Flash cues come up so often to indicate when the characters have realized something.

Almost Kiss: Happens twice with Sawako and Kazehaya before the real thing.

The first time is when Pin tricks Sawako and tells her to grab Kazehaya's shirt and close her eyes for five seconds to thank him. Kazehaya misunderstands this and leaves in for a kiss - and Sawako opens her eyes when his face is an inch away from hers. Both jump back in embarrassment and confusion.

The second time is after they've become a couple and are trying to initiate a kiss on a field trip but are really nervous. And then Ayane walks in on them and it never goes through.

Yuka and her friends from Class A spread the rumours about Sawako and gang up on her twice - first about the rumours, and then about her dating Kazehaya.

On a more personal level, Kurumi is responsible for spreading the rumours about Sawako and secretly tries to get Sawako and Kazehaya to stop liking each other. She changes overtime though, after she stops doing bad things while retaining her cooler and cranky personality.

Yano may also count by the way she manipulates people to do her will, but she's more of a Lovable Alpha Bitch considering she's on Sawako's side and is even encouraging her to open up.

Sawako's confession to Kazehaya in Season 2 Episode 9. This is after the two had a falling out due to an extreme misunderstanding over just what their own meanings of "like" are. Sawako decides to be clear once and for all about her feelings even if it means being rejected and so gives an emotional confession.

Chizu's confession to Ryu in chapter 88, after she tearfully makes it clear she doesn't want Ryu to leave.

Chizu: *crying* I love you, idiot!

People usually forget about Kurumi since she doesn't make up half of any Official Couple, but her (rejected) confession to Kazehaya is anguished beyond belief.

Ayane's (then) older boyfriend slaps her when she suggests that they break up.

In Season 2, Kurumi slaps Kent when he suggests that he goes out with Sawako so that Kurumi could have Kazehaya for herself.

Beach Episode: The gang goes to the beach in Chapter 51, even though Chizuru is the only one who wears her swimsuit; the rest come in their school uniforms.

Beautiful All Along: Sawako; rather than changing her appearance in any tangible way, she's very beautiful when she smiles genuinely, as opposed to forcing herself (which just comes off looking really creepy).

Beautiful Dreamer: Kazehaya sits near Sawako and finally manages to say her first name while she sleeps on the staircase during the sports festival afterparty. Sawako also watches Kazehaya nap a few times in the classroom in the chapter 90s.

Because You Were Nice to Me: Kazehaya treating Sawako with no hostility since the day they met is why she respects him so much. This is also why Kurumi is obsessed with him, as he comforted her during her rough middle school days.

Best Her to Bed Her: In Chapter 51, Ryuu is the only guy able to defeat Yoshida in arm-wrestling and "wins" her for a romantic walk along the seashore.

Be Yourself: This is the point of the story, and not in a heavy-handed way. Sawako makes friends and wins Kazehaya's affection by using her natural gifts and personality, not with the aid of makeovers. Not that makeovers are a bad thing, as Sawako finds out on New Year's Eve.

Sawako and Kazehaya (times 3 or 4!) in chapter 71. Sawako before tries to get a kiss from him but he initially refuses and she calls him out for breaking his promise and becoming more distant from her - so Kazehaya responds by giving her a big damn shut-up kiss.

Chizu and Ryu in chapter 88. He moves in to kiss her so quickly that his hat falls off.

Big, Friendly Dog: Maru goes from being an adorable little puppy to being huge later on in the series but his amicable personality remains.

Birds of a Feather: Subverted by Kazehaya and Kurumi. Even though many students (Sawako included) feel that they suit each other, Kazehaya only thinks of Kurumi as a friend while Kurumi pines an unrequited crush on Kazehaya.

Bishie Sparkle: Sawako's world is filled with this, as well as Love Bubbles and flowers. Even the Japanese tankobon covers have these.

Bishounen: Kazehaya has some nice pretty boy looks, and the female side of the school is very aware of this. Ryu and Kento also are lean and attractive guys.

Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Kurumi acts sweet and nice to gain Sawako's sympathy, then tells her to keep her hands off Kazehaya. She gets better.

Brick Joke: Chizuru inadvertently causes things to become awkward between Sawako and Kazehaya by telling Kazehaya that he's the most distant person from Sawako. Ayane eventually finds out that it's Chizuru who caused that awkwardness when she (Chizuru) blurts it out by mistake while watching Kazehaya ask Sawako out formally at the beach from afar.

Call-Back: In Chapter 27, Chizu tells Ryu that "next time something bad happens, it'll be my turn to comfort you!" A long time later, in Chapter 101, he takes her up on the offer.

Cerebus Syndrome: The series has definitely been growing less light-hearted and more serious as of from about the Chapter 70s. It does make sense, since the characters are nearing graduation and having to make heavy decisions about their futures.

Sawako's character development from a shy hesitant girl to someone who's clear about her thoughts is the main point of this series.

Pretty much all of the supporting cast get their fair share of development over the course of the series, as well.

Character Filibuster: When Sawako meets Kazehaya's father, he demands for an introduction in such a scary way that Sawako tells him not only her name but also her address, parents' occupation, hobbies and what she does at school. The father stops her before she goes any further.

Character Overlap: The cousin that Sawako mentions in the New Year's episodes, Eiji Akahoshi, is a character from the mangaka's previous series Crazy For You. The fanbook has a short crossover chapter where he visits her family after her first date with Kazehaya.

Childhood Friend Romance: Ryu has liked his childhood friend Chizu since forever, but she's pretty oblivious to it. They get together, eventually.

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Shino, Sawako's old (and initially only) friend who gave her nickname, is never shown again after Episode 6. Probably justified as she has her own friends and Sawako's gained new ones.

Chizu becomes an interesting variation of this towards Ryu during the Okinawa field trip; she doesn't seem to have romantic feelings for him, even rejecting his confession in chapter 59, but that doesn't change the fact that she gets very angry with the girl who confesses her feelings to him (and is thus rejected), and even, to an extent, with Ryu for not telling her about it.

Clip Show: Clips from previous episodes about Kurumi's crush on Kazehaya are shown as she shops for Valentine's chocolate in Episode 0 the second season of the anime.

Color Failure: Prone to these, especially when Captain Oblivious is involved. For example, Ayane is devoid of any colour when she finds out that Chizu has no idea Kazehaya likes Sawako, and both Ayane and Chizu lose color when they hear from Pin that Kurumi was heartbroken by his 'rejection' (they even say they've never felt more sorry for her).

Completely Missing the Point: One of Sawako's defining traits and a main point of comedy — being honest to a fault, she assumes everyone else is as well and takes everything literally without hearing any of the pretext behind it. Thus, she thinks Kurumi is flattering her when Kurumi writes down her name in the "Bastards Who Call Me Ume Note".

Nicely touched upon in the last episode of season 2 and its corresponding chapter where Sawako shows Kazehaya the beanie and chocolates she made for him yet couldn't give to him on Christmas and Valentine's Day respectively.

In an early chapter, Chizu mentions that the shirt she's often seen wearing used to belong to her brother. Much, much later in the series, in a flashback chapter, Chizu's brother can be seen wearing the same shirt.

Kurumi attempts to make Kazehaya think Sawako and Ryuu are an item. It ends with Kazehaya and Sawako walking off together, with Sawako realizing her feelings for Kazehaya, who in turn asked her out. Pin then comes to where Kurumi is waiting for Kazehaya to come back, and, thinking Kurumi is going to confess to him, rejects her just as Kazehaya comes back. The guy then promises to "not say anything". Ouch.

Everyone can see Sawako and Kazehaya's feelings for each other. Acknowledging it, though, took some time for the two of them.

A different variation with Chizu and Ryu; Ayane comments on how they "might as well be dating" and Sawako initially thinks they are at first (not to mention she obviously imagines them like that a lot), but Chizu usually reacts to these thoughts with the expected horror and embarrassment.

Evil-Detecting Dog: Well, you can't call Sawako "evil," but Maru still has the right idea when he initially acts cold to her.

Extreme Doormat: Played with for Sawako. Part of her Character Development has to do with mustering enough courage to not agree to things she cannot go along with (eg.Kurumi gets a big surprise when Sawako flat-out refuses to help hook her up with Kazehaya out of her own feelings for him). At the same time, she doesn't always do things because she feels forced, she does them because she likes being helpful (eg. Yano jokingly suggests she learns how to tell scary ghost stories and Sawako is *sparkling* with excitement - she's got the looks and aura, she might as well do it right).

Chizuru/Ryuu and Kazehaya/Ryuu are on this basis, which indicates their close friendships. Ayane also calls Ryu by his first name, presumably having heard Chizu refer to him more than anybody else.

Sawako eventually comes to be able to do this with her new friends, including Ayane and Chizuru who in turn stop using her nickname Sadako.

Sawako mistakes Kazehaya to be doing this to Kurumi, until she finds out Kurimi is merely a shortened version of her surname Kurumizawa. It relieves her a bit which is one of the first signs she's fallen for Kazehaya.

Kurumi always calls Sawako "Sawako-chan" and even corrects her when she calls herself Sadako. She initially does this to get on her good side and manipulate her, after her true colours show it's done out of habit (and implies that, hey, she doesn't dislike Sawako after all).

Kazehaya, upon her request, calls Kurumi by her given name Ume once, following her rejected confession. It helps her appreciate her name a bit more.

After some failed attempts, Kazehaya finally says Sawako's name at the sports festival after party while she's asleep. He's able to say it to her face a few times after their relationship upgrade.

Sawako finally calls Kazehaya by his first name "Shota" in Chapter 53.

Flash Step: Sawako apparently learns how to do this while being taught football (or soccer) by Kazehaya, as seen when she runs in the speed of light in a practice game. Though it's been established that she's very fast from doing daily jogs.

Played for Drama in case of Kurumi to Sawako who tries to have her stay away from Kazehaya so she can have him for herself. It's then played for sympathy once Kurumi's schemes fail and she shares her true feelings with both Sawako and Kazehaya.

Played sympathetically in case of Kent (who also likes Sawako) who's mildly jealous of Kazehaya and Ayane to Sawako and Chizu as she feels bad that she's not as nice as those two (in her mind).

Toru happy starts his married life with Haruka. They even go on to have a child.

Heel–Face Turn: Kurumi earns a heartwarming redemption in later chapters, when she defends Sawako from a bunch of girls jealous of Sawako's relationship with Kazehaya. She then gets Put on a Bus, only to come back later an even more redeemed and mature character, with her relationship with Sawako steadily improving.

Ignored Confession: In the last episode of season two of anime Ryuu confesses his love to Chizuru. Further in the manga, in chapter 57, they have a conversation in which they both act as nothing like this has ever been said. One must remember, though, that Chizuru takes his first confession as a platonic one and not romantic.

Imagine Spot: A lot of them, mostly from Sawako who tends to think up weird scenarious. And they are all ADORABLE.

It's Personal: Played for laughs, when Ayane's hostility towards Kurumi seems exist equally because of the latter's beautiful skin as well as because of hardships she's given to Sawako.

Pin - he sees enjoyment in torturing his students (namely Kazehaya) and shows disinterest in them, however the Heart of Gold is evident when he actually offers decent advice to Sawako and Kazehaya in the anime, and it REALLY shows when his students come to him for advice about their futures after finishing school.

Chizuru has her moments of acting rather harshly but also showing a kinder side, such as her treatment of Ryuu.

Just Friends: Sawako manages to befriend Kazehaya and both are happy with their friendship. This is even though Kazehaya would rather they take it further, while Sawako is content with the way things are even after she realizes her feelings and is puzzled when Ayane tells her she should confess her feelings as she's happy with how their current relationship is. Chizuru and Ryu are just a little more convincing, being Childhood Friends and remaining so despite Ryu's crush on her. Both couples get the relationship upgrade eventually, though it takes the latter much longer.

Just the Way You Are: One of the best features of the series as a whole is that Sawako is constantly rewarded for being herself, and not having to change to please anyone.

Subverted in Episode 5 of the second season. Chizu puts her hand to the wall at Ryuu, and the camera pans away as if she's going to kiss him. Instead, she asks him to help her with the problem that she's made worse for Kazehaya. Ryu is even well aware that she's going to ask him something.

Played straight with Ayane and Kent not long after they start dating, showing just her back and with their faces hidden.

Sawako has yet to call Ryuu by his first name. Justified as she calls no guy by his first name, not even Kazehaya.

Sawako and Kazehaya refer to each other by their last names, even though they do manage to switch to first name basis now and then after they start dating.

Letting the Air Out of the Band: When Sawako starts telling the story of her life, the standard sentimental music plays. It's all very sweet till we see that she spent a lot of time on her own; then the music drags to a stop as she hears herself and, Blue with Shock, wonders if she's killing the mood.

Like Brother and Sister: Chizuru and Ryuu claim to be brothers. Yes, no gender-related doubts; as long as she can be the older "brother," Chizuru is fine.

Loners Are Freaks: As it turns out, all three girls were outsiders before befriending one another. The most obvious example is Sawako who's feared by her cohort due to rumours of her alleged supernatural side, but Chapter 50 reveals that before Chizu and Ayane became friends, Chizu felt like a loner for always known as One of the Boys and Ayane was somewhat alienated for her Urban Legend Love Life.

Parodied and invoked with Joe in regards to Ayane, as he's eager for the two to get together seeing how both were rejected/dumped earlier. She complies only due to the situation she's in.

Played straight with Kent and Ayane eventually, having suffered heartbreak (or lack of it in Ayane's case) earlier and finding comfort in each other.

Love Bubbles: Bubbles very frequently turn up when one's having a lovey-dovey moment.

Love Confession: Several characters confess to one another at various points onscreen - Kurumi to Kazehaya, Chizuru to Toru, Sawako to Kazehaya, Kazehaya to Sawako, Ryu to Chizu, and Chizu to Ryu. Several others also occur offscreen, but they're all rejected and mostly just happen to trigger a Green-Eyed Epiphany or establish a character's popularity.

Love Epiphany: Sawako realizes her feelings for Kazehaya in Episode 13 with some help from Kurumi.

Love Hurts: Being in love hurts everyone at some point or another, although things usually get straightened out.

Love Triangle: Ryu likes Chizu who likes his older brother Tooru; Sawako and Kazehaya like each other while Kurumi likes the latter; and then there's Kazehaya, Sawako and Kent who likes Sawako.

Love Dodecahedron: So, let’s see...Kurumi (and Yuka and a whole harem) is in love with Kazehaya. Kazehaya loves Sawako, who loves him back; however, Kent also likes Sawako. Ayane various points dates her unnamed college boyfriend, Mogi, and then Kent who also comes to like her. Pin may or may not also have feelings for Ayane, who may or may not also have feelings for him, and Joe also likes Ayane. Meanwhile, Sae has feelings for Ryu who is in love with Chizu, who may or may not be developing similar feelings for him, but who is initially in love with Toru, who is engaged /married to Haruko. Love dodecahedron indeed.

Luminescent Blush: 2nd Season's Episode 9 is full of mad blushing because of Sawako's confession.

Manipulative Bastard: Kurumi tries to be a manipulative jerk towards Sawako, but fails spectacularly. Yano seems to be better at manipulating others in sinister ways, and even then she usually has good intentions.

Nice Guy: Kazehaya genuinely cares for his classmates and hates seeing others alone, especially Sawako. Atypically for shoujo, he's the main character. There's also Kento who genuinely means well, as seen when he tries to help Sawako connect to her class more.

Nice Guys Finish Last: Pretty much completely averted as Sawako's love interest Kazehaya also likes her back, and he does get the girl. Aversions can also apply to a few others in the series who are good people and get together with their crushes.

No Social Skills: Sawako's social skills are poor in the beginning due to her lack of friends and interactions.

Basically the definition of Kazehaya and Sawako's relationship for a good duration of the manga and the entirety of the anime's first season, as they don't even notice each other's feelings despite them being mutual. By the time the New Year's Eve episode rolls around, Kazehaya is dropping anvil-sized hints that he really likes Sawako and yet she still doesn't catch them.

Applies to Chizuru who's oblivious to Ryuu's crush. When Ryu confesses to Chizu (for the second time, since she didn't understand him properly the first time around), she's the only main character who seems shocked.

On the Ship Tease side: Ayane is level-headed, but still has some standard teenage issues, Pin is an adult Spoiled Brat, but can display a surprising maturity.

A friendship example: Ayane and Chizuru were an inseparable duo since since the beginning of the high school and they couldn't be more different.

Pair the Spares: Kent and Ayane get together eventually; they're two single kids that hardly talked to each other at first but they start to talk more after Kent's crush Sawako and Kazehaya get together and Ayane's issues with love come to light and then they get together. And then they break up again.

Pet the Dog: In Chapter 45 with the usually Apathetic Teacher Pin towards Ayane, who confesses to him that she doesn't believe she's kind (compared to Sawako and Chizu) because of how cunning she can be. She dreads another conceited lecture from a surprisingly quiet Pin, who instead stares at a candy Ayane had given him because he had been whining about not getting one after the festival. Then, Pin literally pats Ayane on the head and reassures her that she is kind before walking up the stairs, leaving Ayane (and the readers) speechless that Pin could actually give this kind of nice treatment.

Please Don't Leave Me: The later arc starting at about the Chapter 70s that focuses on everyone preparing for exams and finding out what to do after school is abound with these.

Chizu doesn't take Ryu's planning on going away to university very well, breaking down crying and saying "Don't go!" over and over again. She feels bad about it afterwards.

Kent practices saying this to the mirror for Ayane after finding out where she truly wants to go. The issue of the pair's future after high school is what leads them to break up.

The Power of Friendship: One of the main themes of the series is that good friendships will help characters pull through their issues.

Scenery Porn: The series is full of scenes that show off pretty detailed scenery. For example there's the opening.

Serious Business: Sawako's dad is EXTREMELY serious about checking if Kazehaya is appropriate enough to be his daughter's boyfriend.

Serial Escalation: The anime takes this to heart with its prevalent and spectacular use of Bishie Sparkle, Love Bubbles, and other stereotypical shoujo frills. Hell, one of the first times Kurumi grabs Sawako's hands, an entire flowering bush sprouts behind the former.

Ship Tease: Combinations of the 'spares', ie. Kent/Kurumi, Kent/Ayane and Pin/Ayane get some moments that hint they may or may like one another. A notable exception is Pin/Kurumi, which is humourously 'sunk' early in the story.

On multiple occasions, Ryu is seen wearing a hat that reads RHCP, and in chapter 32, Chizu is seen wearing a t-shirt embellished with the same logo. Kazehaya also wears a t-shirt with the logo on in a later chapter.

"Shut Up" Kiss: Kazehaya and Sawako's first kiss together is one of these in chapter 71.

A lot of the major Ryuu/Chizu scenes involve snow. The most blatant examples would be in chapters 23, 27, 62, 63 and 69. Of course, this occurs in most of the chapters involving snow with some pairing or another, given that, well, this is a romantic manga.

Sawako and Kazehaya spend some time together on her birthday/New Year's shrine visit and have their First Kiss in the snow.

Strawberry Shorthand: Chigusa and Ayane discuss Sawako having a "strawberry time" with Kazehaya - it's just phrase for the two being lovey dovey, but then a weird mutant strawberry also pops up in the background.

Sugary Malice: Kurumi tries it on Sawako, but since Sawako is generally incapable of recognizing the malice beneath the sugar, it mostly just backfires.

Third-Option Love Interest: Mogi from Class B is this for Ayane when he suddenly turns up and successfully gets her to start dating him, making him the third guy that's ship-teased with her (the others being Pin and Kento).

That feeling I felt back then, this feeling which has since then continued to grow... I wonder if it'll reach you one day. note The "reach you" is the title drop, as in Japanese it's said as "kimi ni todoku" which is a variant of the title.

Unnamed Parent: Both of Kazehaya's parents, Ayane's mother and Chizu's father have all made appearances but lack first names. Averted with the others, however; Chapter 62 refers to Chizu's mother as Chiaki and Ryu's mother as Tetsuko. The anime's official blog reveals two more names: Genji Sanada (Ryu's father) and Youko Kuronuma (Sawako's mother). And according to a quiz in the magazine the manga's published in, Mr. Kuronuma's first name is Kitao.

The Unsmile: Sawako gives one whenever she tries to force a smile out.

Sawako and Kurumi might be finally heading there. Of course, all the vitriol comes from the latter. Kurumi still treats Sawako as a rival but the two become friendlier as time passes, to the point that she's noticeably shocked and even saddened when she finds out that she and Sawako will not go to the same universities.

Chizuru and Ayane bicker a lot, but there's no denying how much they actually do care about one another.

The entirety of Volume 14 (covering most of the Okinawa field trip) dramatically changes not only Sawako and Kazehaya's relationship but also Ryuu and Chizuru's. It's also difficult to look at Ayane's character in the same way afterwards. In fact, the field trip is probably the turning point in regards to the change in tone which is implied in previous chapters.

Later on, chapter 63 hits hard in regards to Ryu/Chizu in regards to their background such as Ryu's mother's death, even on rereads.

In regards to Ayane's storyline, Chapter 92 definitely qualifies, when it's finally out in the open that she and Kento have some problems with their future and relationship.

When She Smiles: Two things can happen when Sawako smiles, depending on whether the smile is forced or natural: either it comes out as The Unsmile, or everyone watching gasps in awe.

Chapter 44 is a flashback within a flashback. Kazehaya flashes back to his point of view of the very first chapter. The end of his flashback reveals him hugging Sawako after her confession, the same scene shown in Chapter 39.

Chapters 62 and 63 also entirely consist of flashbacks, save for the first few pages of 62 and the last few of 63. It focuses on Ryuu and Chizuru's childhood, especially the former's mother's death.

Woman in White: Sawako wears a white dress to play the role of the ghost during the test of courage. She also dresses in a white kimono in their costume parade.

Wrong Genre Savvy: Pin and his hot-bloodedness really lost the way to his sports Shounen series. Yoshida and Ryu may have been heading there too.

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